Alice Liddell is dead and Wonderland is still reeling from a revolution that spanned the entire kingdom. A new King sits upon the throne - Jack, the former Knave of Hearts and once prince and revolution leader, is learning to cope with his new position as monarch of Wonderland. The tests to find new Alices in hopes of restoring Wonderland's magic continue as her inhabitants slowly pieces her back together. Yet questions still linger: where are the old King and his Queen? And how long can the vast array of Wonderlanders keep themselves hidden from the rest of London during their increasingly frequent trips to the city so far beyond the looking glass?
Welcome to Far Beyond The Looking Glass, a present day rp based on the characters from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. It is currently Autumn 2014 in London, England, and Wonderland is currently experiencing an autumn-like season, too. Have a look around and don't be afraid to pop in the cbox if you have a question as we're quite a friendly bunch. We hope you decide to join and welcome!

Nadine was exhausted. Not having slept much and having to go to work in the morning didn’t do well for her. But she pulled through, with a double shot of espresso or two.

The previous day, she had met him. Black hair, a bit longer at the back, and piercing blue eyes - she was sold. He was in one of her favourite bars with another man and from what she observed from her place on the dance floor, they seemed to be getting a bit friendly. She hoped that the brunet was like her because honestly, he was really… hot… or something of that kind.

For once, she came back to the flat early from a night out. She didn’t feel like it, anyway. And knowing that she had to work in the morning was another thing. She was being responsible for once. Though it didn’t change the fact that after returning and a brief chat with her flatmate she locked herself in her room and laid in the bed for what seemed like ages before pulling out a laptop and turning it on.

She sat there for a fair few minutes, just staring at the screen absentmindedly before shutting the laptop back down.

The tiredness was showing in her face, her makeup done up a little clumsily. She was sure that the coffee would kick in eventually and so she’d end up staying up again. She was glad she was doing an afternoon tomorrow.

She came back to the flat, not surprised to find it empty, had a shower and changed. In hope - probably futile, but still - to see him again, she quickly did her makeup and went back to the bar.

Seeing as it was a weekday, there weren’t many people out, but she decided to stay, nonetheless.

It's your chance to repent for all the days you spent playing king of the hill It's an easy match but there is just one catch By now you should know the drill Yes you should know that I eat boys like you for breakfast Where's my knife and fork now? Onions, tomeitos, tomatoes, poteitos potatoes I eat boys like you for breakfast Sir, you've got a striking physique Don't underestimate the hunter Now let's play hide and seek I eat boys like you for breakfast

It was one of the few nights Jacqueline decided to go out by herself. She'd spent the day aimlessly wandering around her apartment and debating getting a job (a quick no followed by hours of rationalizing herself into continued unproductiveness), and her limbs ached with the need to get out and explore. It was an uneventful day, leaving Jaq in the mood for quiet fun, if she were ever into that kind of thing. Part of her knew she'd end up plastered both out of her mind and to some hot body whose name she'd forget by the morning.

Donning a simple pair of black heels and a red/monochrome dress that had been calling her name in Vero Moda the other day, Jaq grabbed her nearest clutch, checked for her London currency, and headed out the door to one of her favorite bars in the area. It was quiet enough for conversation but she had an understanding with the bartenders about her and her alcohol. A couple of them knew her, her name, and her usual, and tonight was staffed by two guys who fell into that group. Within seconds of her arrival, she was slipping a fiver and a tip across the table to one of them with a thankful smile, already pulling her drink closer to her mouth.

She wasn't looking for anything (or anyone) in particular to do, so she hopped up on a stool at the bar, ordered her drink, and let her eyes wander. It was the middle of the week and while, yeah, her dress stood out as eye-catching, she felt like it attracted excitement. She sipped at her fruity drink, not caring if people judged her for it, when suddenly she noticed her sister Nadine down the bar. Excited at all the possibilities for the night now, Jaq plonked herself down on the bar stool next to Nadine with a, "Fancy seeing you here, Nads," and took another long drag off her drink.

It has been a while since she drank tequila like you’re supposed to drink it. Nowadays, Nadine would down a triple and then order a few more before going out on the dance floor. This was actually one of her favourites; it had a lovely looking bartender that played hard to get. He was interesting – usually, people didn’t say no to her. She knew how to work them, after observing the people of Wonderland for so many years she had extensive knowledge of them. While the fact that they were Londoners meant there were a few things that were different, the concept was familiar. Roses always caught people’s eyes.

She was sat at the bar; playing with a straw she took out of her drink. He wasn’t there today, thankfully. She was already frustrated enough with what she had going on already; she didn’t need him to add to it. Though he did have an appealing look to him, it wasn’t worth not getting something after trying so hard. Lately, men weren’t too good with her and she’d already started worrying that something was wrong with her. But she decided against thinking tonight. It was supposed to be a fun night.

The bar had been almost empty but since it was the middle of the week, she shouldn’t really be surprised. Briefly, she wondered if she had some sort of a problem. She didn’t really see Zee frequent bars or pubs or whatever as much as she herself did. Maybe she was overdoing it a little…

It was then that someone sat next to her and when she heard the soft, velvety voice, she smiled. Looking to her right, she saw her sister. She hasn’t seen Jacqueline in a while, actually, and it was nice to run into her.

“Fancy seeing you here,” she said in turn, her smile growing into a grin. “How are you?”

It's your chance to repent for all the days you spent playing king of the hill It's an easy match but there is just one catch By now you should know the drill Yes you should know that I eat boys like you for breakfast Where's my knife and fork now? Onions, tomeitos, tomatoes, poteitos potatoes I eat boys like you for breakfast Sir, you've got a striking physique Don't underestimate the hunter Now let's play hide and seek I eat boys like you for breakfast

Family was everything among the flowers. The Palace Garden was a tight-knit group, making Jacqueline's convincing Antoinette to let the Dandelion stay that much more impressive. They were fiercely protective of each other, going out of their way to make sure the others were happy and okay before worrying about themselves. Turning into humans and leaving the garden, going their separate ways, had really upset Jaq. She'd eventually accepted that was the outcome of Alice dying, and so she really reached out to the flowers that wandered into London and kept in close contact with them, even she went days without physically seeing them.

Nadine was one such fellow flower, and watching her sister's face light up at seeing her made Jaq feel momentarily guilty. She hadn't spoken to Nadine in well over a week — too busy or simply forgot, really — and it felt weird, now that Jaq was thinking about it. She matched her sister's grin and leaned forward to hug her. "I've been well. Living it up, you know how it goes." She laughed, tucked her hair behind her ear. "How've you been? Why are you here by yourself? Who was stupid enough to let you out by yourself? You in that dress... it really isn't fair to the rest of us."

She took a long drag off her drink, her smile relaxing as the alcohol wormed through her system. It was a wonder Nadine hadn't found a guy to be at least semi-serious. She was a freaking catch, in Jaq's oh-so-modest opinion. Seriously. Jaq didn't mind not playing wingman to her because she knew Nadine didn't need her support. She swiveled a little in her seat, heels clacking against the barstool she was sitting on, a tiny part of her wishing she was as pretty as Nadine.

Beauty has been a concept well known amongst the flowers. They were all beautiful in their very own, unique ways and it eventually translated into the human forms that they took on. Even though Nadine missed her original form, her petals and her thorns, she embraced the new one fully, making as much of it as she possibly could. She looked at her sister, her expression morphing into a thoughtful one. It has been over a week since they were in contact and while it wasn’t so strange anymore – it was Jacqueline and she was one of the few that went out of their way to keep the sibling bonds strong. It didn’t occur to Nadine that it was an example that she should follow. Besides… she was younger than a few of the flowers which caused them to patronise her. That never sat well with her and it felt as if every single one of them would be watching hey every single move, trying to determine if she was doing well on her own. To their goddamn concern, she had a job and did well for herself, paid her rent and in between work, she liked to party. What on earth was wrong with that? Even the Tiger Lily seemed unable to stop herself from the multitude of questions.

“How've you been? Why are you here by yourself? Who was stupid enough to let you out by yourself? You in that dress... it really isn't fair to the rest of us.”

“I’ve been well, thank you.” She responded, narrowing her eyes at the follow up questions. “Didn’t have anyone to drag out and really, I am capable of caring for myself.” It might have been that the reply came off as a little rude, so she straightened up, had a drink and turned to Jacqueline bodily. “I mean… excuse me.”

It's your chance to repent for all the days you spent playing king of the hill It's an easy match but there is just one catch By now you should know the drill Yes you should know that I eat boys like you for breakfast Where's my knife and fork now? Onions, tomeitos, tomatoes, poteitos potatoes I eat boys like you for breakfast Sir, you've got a striking physique Don't underestimate the hunter Now let's play hide and seek I eat boys like you for breakfast

Trying to imagine life without talking to Maddie or her sisters was nearly impossible. Whenever she tried to picture what it would be like, all her mind came up with empty, dark, cold spaces that felt extraordinarily lonely. Jaq was gregarious by nature -- stories were her lifeblood as she grew older, both listening from and retelling them to other people, and it always seemed like she knew what was going on with everyone. (And yes, sometimes she could be a bit nosy, but only cats died from curiosity.) Her family was her support network, the few creatures she could count on no matter the situation.

(Jaq didn't do lonely.)

She tilted her head to the side, playing with the tip of the straw between her front teeth. "I know you're capable, Nads," Jaq said. Her smile was soft. Self-sufficiency had always been Nadine's thing. "More than capable, really. You're probably better at this--" She gestured a few circles above her head as if implying all of London, and by extension, Alice's world, "--than I am." Which probably was true. Jaq was taking care of herself, but she was surviving on gifted money and she knew it would run out eventually. She just wanted to avoid having to go to Judas and his hacker because it meant things like getting a job and Jaq was very much enjoying not having any real responsibilities.

"I only asked because you look drop-dead gorgeous. Like, slay me, you are on a level way above the rest of us tonight." Her grin was wide and easy, her air relaxed. She nudged Nadine's shin, whining on a little bit. "Co'mmon, Nads, lighten up. Seriously. You make me jealous how pretty you are sometimes. I'm just trying to compliment my sister." Jaq sipped the last of her drink, setting it down and motioning for another. "In all seriousness, though, I'm happy to hear you're doing well. You know I worry about you guys almost as much as Antoinette."

Honestly, Nadine was just tired of it all. The pretence, the whole “we’re siblings, we should stick together”… it didn’t work like this, not in London, not anymore. Sure, she didn’t cut herself off completely but she ceased expecting. That would be why Jaq’s presence was a pleasant surprise. She missed them, of course. But that didn’t mean that she based her entire existence around them. The world was much bigger now; it didn’t come down to one garden. She wasn’t sure what she preferred, before or now because quite frankly, both were good times. Though as a flower she didn’t have much privacy…

The need for such she developed only upon coming to London. She didn’t know whether she could go back to how things were; the years of being in a human body did take a toll on her. That was why she had a separate room from Zahirah and even though there were still moments when she forgot that clothes were necessary she adapted pretty damn well. Looking over at her sister, she sighed quietly. Listening to her intently, she leant in before sticking her straw back in her drink and sipping at it. Jacqueline and Antoinette were definitely classier than her and she didn’t want to be any less, even though her personality didn’t quite suit that. She was determined to make herself look good. It was all about impressions here in London after all. And while she didn’t mind being known as the party girl by her friends, her siblings were a whole another topic of conversation here.

The smile from Jaq felt condescending. While Nads knew that she was probably being majorly childish, she knew to calm herself down. The Tiger Lily didn’t mean her wrong and she knew it. She bit her lip gently at the mention of being better at adapting to London than Jacqueline was.

“I’m sorry.” She murmured, straightening out invisible wrinkles in her dress as she looked down, ashamed. Her cheeks grew hot. “Thank you for the compliment though.” She took the straw out of her drink and downed it. Who cared? “I do know that. How have you been?”

It's your chance to repent for all the days you spent playing king of the hill It's an easy match but there is just one catch By now you should know the drill Yes you should know that I eat boys like you for breakfast Where's my knife and fork now? Onions, tomeitos, tomatoes, poteitos potatoes I eat boys like you for breakfast Sir, you've got a striking physique Don't underestimate the hunter Now let's play hide and seek I eat boys like you for breakfast

Jaq hadn't been thrilled per se when the flowers all separated, but she definitely appreciate the freedom she now had. Did it mean losing a large piece of her identity? Yeah. But she could adapt. Slowly. She bounced between London and Wonderland frequently, floating from sister to Maddie to sister to Maddie. Her preference for London was largely rooted in having a good time — clothes and alcohol and drugs that were all mightily different from that with which she grew up. Wonderland was all blackmail and war and nobody was as bright or colorful as they once were. Stupid Alice having to go off and die and fuck everything up.

Around them, patronage was beginning to pick up despite the fact that it was a work night; it must've be later than Jaq realized. Looking back at Nadine, still mostly in her shell and not saying much, Jaq decided her sister needed to loosen up. They both did. Her new drink came and she chugged it down before ordering two rounds of tequila for each of them. Fuck the potential disaster with mixing liquors. "I'm good. I'm always good." She threw her hair back over a shoulder, watching as the bartender worked on someone's else order. "But I'm better since I ran into you."

As soon as their drinks were poured with a flirty smile from the bartender and one of Jaq's own in response, she pushed her sister's two shots in front of her and prepped one of her own."You, m'dear," she said, holding the shot glass up, "Are much too tense." Her look turned devious. "To our health and fortune. May we get so badly fucked up, Annie rises from Wonderland to yell at us till she's red in the face." At her own bad joke, Jaq did her shot, smiling around the lime wedge in her mouth. She always sort of liked the taste of them, though that may have been the tequila talking (every time). "To tonight and sisterhood and each other, Nadine dearest."

Nadine wasn’t used to be on her own. Being in a garden with her flower siblings was one thing but because of that, she would end up in crowded places a lot of the time; she tried to surround herself with a lot of people. That was the reason why a lot of the time she would get tired and irritated with the lot of them – and usually, that would be when she would go out. Mainly by herself. To clear her head and whatnot. She wasn’t used to forcing social life onto herself; now she knew there was a different way of doing things – she found that she would have been the one to pick staying at home, on her own, in a blanket with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. One of the wonders of London.

But it didn’t matter. Now, she was faced with her sister... they’ve always mattered to her. They mattered so much. Being around them as much didn’t seem... right, however. She wasn’t sure how she felt about it – it was like putting a leash on her freedom all over again. Though maybe she was being just a tad overdramatic with it all.

It was... different now. Like running into an old friend. And although she felt patronised, Nadine felt grateful. After all, she did miss her sister. Raising an eyebrow as she saw Jaq mixing her alcohol, she reached for a shot, taking one in hand. She grinned at her sister’s joke, amused. She missed Jacqueline.

“Cheers.” She replied before downing one of her shots. “To a hangover of the month.” She added, before downing the second shot; the alcohol sliding easily as water down her throat. God was she way too used to it.

She must have been already sort of tipsy with how amused she found herself upon hearing Jaq’s joke because bless her, but they didn’t belong to the best of jokes. Nadine often pretended that they were, though.

autumn leaves has been skinned exclusively for far beyond the looking glass by asya.she would appreciate it if you didn't steal/use this skin without her permission.for full credits, please view the credits post here.